Dallasite Paul Heckmann in a 1980s modeling shot. Heckmann is a Dallas Playboy Club alum and served as actor Patrick Duffy's stand-in on both the original 'Dallas' and 2012 TNT reboot.

Meet Paul Heckmann. I discovered him when he commented on our August FD Luxe story: “Bunnies gone wild: A dip back into Dallas’ posh Playboy club”. Turns out, Heckmann worked as a maître d for the club in the late ’70s and early ’80s (along with “Big” Dan Nolte of Plano, who is quoted in the story). “It was pretty wild,” Heckmann told me over the phone. “I was a kid from a little town in Texas who ended up in the Playboy Club.”

But that’s not all. As you can see from the photos, Heckmann also has brooding eyes and a jaw that won’t quit. He found work as a model. He dated Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Debbie Kepley (the Cowboys shared the same building off Central Expressway as the Playboy Club) and she introduced him to her agent. He says his gigs included editorial for Neiman Marcus, advertisements in GQ, even a campy 1980 spread in The Dallas Morning News‘ Fashion!Dallas section modeling, what else in Texas, fur coats. (I love the headline: “Put Hair on Your Chest.” See the page here: Fashion!Dallas fur spread with Paul Heckmann)

And in Heckmann’s spare time? He became an actor and landed multiple small bits in the hit TV show Dallas. Even better, he became Patrick Duffy‘s stand-in. Heckmann continued working over the years, getting small gigs in just about every production that has rolled through town, from Walker, Texas Ranger to the ill-fated GCB. He was even an extra in director Richard Linklater’s film, Bernie, based on Texas Monthly scribe Skip Hollandsworth’s story.

Heckmann had a full circle moment in his acting career when TNT launched its reboot of Dallas this year. Patrick Duffy was back, and so was Paul Heckmann, who once again served as Duffy’s stand-in — 31 years later.

Personal collection of Paul Heckmann

Paul Heckmann and an unidentified female model in a 1980s evening wear shoot believed to have been for Neiman Marcus

Not everything in Heckmann’s life has been picture perfect. He quips, “I could have been a good actor except for one thing: talent.” He reinvented over the years, working on cruise ships for a while, and today lives in Carrollton where he does IT work. Presently, he’s between gigs as he recovers from major back surgery, which has also hindered his acting work. But don’t count Heckmann out yet. He expects to be back in the game soon. If nothing else, Dallas — and Mr. Duffy — are officially on for season two in 2013.